Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-05-19
DISCHARGED CONVICTS.

DISCHARGED CONVICTS.
A Famous Detectives Ideas Concerning
Their Protection and Employment.
The question arises as to how these
men can be employed. OF course, it is
not possible to force them into employ.
ment; neither would it be proper to put
them into responsible positions. They
should be graded according to their in
telligence and education. There are
many places where men of this kind
could be employed where there would
be no motive for them to steal. and
where it would be impossible for them
to do SO. Many of them would find
employment themselves. and, if let
alone, would continue in such employ
ment, but some society would have to
be formed similar to the Society of the
Prevention of Cruelt to Animals to
protect them. Its agents should be in
all parts of the country. For instance,
where man has been convicted of a
crime in New York, on being
released from prison it might
be necessary. in order to keep him
away from his old associates, and
give him new start in life, to
send him to some other city or locality.
Communication could be kept up be-
tween these various agents of the So
ciety in the different parts of the coun-
try, and one could help the other. !
am satisfied that if an organization of
this kind were once started and prop
erly managed under honest and cOmpe-
tent officers and agents. it would soon
gain the confidence of the public and
charitable men and women who would
come to its aid, and be among the
| most earnest and influential looking
toward the reformation of these men
and women. Men coming from prison
| would soon learn to have confidence in
the society, and would be convinced
that they could trust i, and that peo-
pie merely for sake of curiosity could
not ascertain any thing in regard to
them. OF course there would be GRIM
inals who would endeavor to impose OH
the society and try to use il
for the purpose of promoting some
of their schemes, but l venture
to s;y that the number would
be very few. The society should
also make it rule that where an eff.
fort h. been made to reform Il man,
and he had Intentionally and willfully
deceived the society and still pursued
4 life of crime, the society's course
would be to give information to the
police which would enable them to
follow the man and cause him to again
be stopped in his criminal career
There are already ''prison aid socie-
ties" No doubt they are of consider.
able benefit. but their means are no:
sufficient to enable them to be of
great deal of service, and men who
have been criminals and to whom l
have talked in regard to reforming,
have expressed to me their lack of
confidence in them. The invariable
conclusion reached has been that the
principal thing that is given by
them is advice and very little
assistance. 1t is just possible
that this may arise from lack OF
funds. If a society of this kind were
organized of course it would be neces-
sary to keep a complete record of
all those who had been assisted, and
the employment they had been put at.
1t would also be necessary for the
agents of the society to keep lookout
for the welfare of these men, and to see
how they were getting along. The
books and records of the society should
of course be considered secret, and nc
information should be given from the
same unless the society's agent were
thoroughly convinced that it was for
the purpose of aiding the ends of JUS
tice. Whenever complaint was made
about any one who had been criminal
that he was being prosecuted by police
officials or others. the society should ut
once take steps to put a stop to such
persecution.
A man who has been known as pro-
fessional criminal, starting out to re-
form. has an almost impossible task to
accomplish. and although number
have succeeded. very many have been
forced back from their good resolution !
by persecution on the part of police of
ficials and those who have known them |
in their criminal career.-Ro6ert a. |
Pinkerton, an Chicago Inter Ocean.
STRAIGHT R,,ssnoSR